Warning signal



Patented June 17, 1941 2 2 33 WARNING lfiNe Nelson 1', Anderso os An el Cal f, App ic nts Septembe 7, 40 Ser a Np 355,86

2 Claims.

Thi a p a o is a ntinua ion i a of m r ad n li iip ser al Nq- 2 4, 65 filed une 1 6 f.

This invention relates to a Warning signal, and it is primarily an object of the invention to pro,- vide a signal of this kind for use in connection with a door opening or the like having associated therewith a normally open closure member, said signal being of a type for directing a stream of wate o t er l uid across the openi i ad vanoe of the closing movement of the closure member. s

Another object of the invention to provide a signal of this kind including a nozzle mounted in a position to direct a stream oi water across a door opening or the like, said nozzle being in communication with a suitable source of Water or other liquid supply, together with a valve for closing the discharge of the Water or liquid from the nozzlewhen the closure member is in open position but being automatically moved into open position by the closure member as it moves into closed position.

The invention consists in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts of my improved warning signal whereby certain important advantages are attained and the device rendered simpler, less expensive and otherwise more convenient and advantageous for use, as will be hereinafter more fullyset forth.

The novel features of my invention will hereinafter be definitely claimed,

In order that my invention may be the better understood, I will now proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure l is a view partly in section and partly in elevation and of a diagrammatic character illustrating a warning signal constructed in ace cordan-ce with an embodiment of my invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 2. 2 of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows; I

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

As disclosed in the accompanying drawing R denotes a room or chamber comprised in any type of building construction and which is provided with anentrance opening A. This opening A, as herein comprised, constitutes a door opening with which a conventional type of door is adapted to be emplo-yed. Also mounted for coaction with the opening A is a closure member C. As illustrated in the accompanying drawing, the side marginal portions of this closure member C are directed through the slots I extending along the jambs Z of the casing for the opening A at substantially their transverse centers. The closure member C is also slidably engaged with the guideways 3 mounted within the wall structure W and rearwardly spaced from the jambs 2. These guideways 3 extend a con siderable distance above the door opening A'an'd the header structure 4 for such opening is seconstruoted as to permit the closure member C to be raised entirely above the'opening This closure member '0 may be of any construction preferred, it being only required that itbe of a character not readily destructible as this ,clos r embe hen i i s l w d 4 s e e 'nbr sition provides effective means to prevent the escape of a person withinthe room or a m,- ber v A here n pmpr s d he u e memb r C i mois ened no mal r ised by t e date :fired to rotate with the vertically disposed shafts 6. PQB thes p a e t p .5 r $W l r m below the raised closure member .0 said member, of cour wi in a t n u l dr p into sull closed position.

The upper end portions of the shafts 5 are pm is e wi h t su tab ir t r a ms 1 which are pivotally connected, as at 8, with a rigid arm 9. The arm 9 has connected thereto, as at Ii), a retractile spring -II also secure-d, as .at J32, to a suitable part of the wall structure W. This spring H operates to norm-ally maintain the plates 5 in a position to underlie the closure member '0'.

The arm 9 has coupled thereto, at M, a flexible member l5 which is disposed over and depends from a suitably positioned guide pulley Hi. This member l5 has its end portion remote from the arm Sconnected, as at H, to a weighted member 1-8. This member I8 is engaged with a suitably supported and arranged trackway l9 vertically disposed within the wall structure This weighted member L8 is maintained normally in its vraised position by .a latch 20. This latch 29 in the present embodiment of my invention is to be retracted and released from the weighted member 18 upon energizing the associated electro-magnet 2|.

The weighted member It in its fall imposes sufficient pull upon the arm 9 to rock .the shafts 6 in the direction to move the plates .5 from be- 10W the raised closure member C whereupon said closure member C will substantially instantaneously drop into closed position.

Suitably supported by the wall structure W or bvany other means as preferred is a nozzle 22. This nozzle 22 is so constructed and arranged to direct jetsof water or other liquid in such directions as to strike a person who may be outside of the room or chamber .R but approaching in close proximity to the door opening A to give warning that the closure member C is about to drop. This nozzle 22 is in communication through a pipe line 23 with a suitable source of water or other liquid supply. Interposed in the pipe line 23 is a normally closed valve structure 24 including an operating member 25 of a rocking type. When the valve structure 24 is closed, this operating member 25 intersects the path of travel of an outstanding part 26 carried by the weighted member 18. This part 26 upon the initial dropping of the weighted member 18 strikes the member 25 from above and swings the same sufficiently to open the valve structure 24 to allow the discharge of the water jets out from the nozzle 22. This coaction between the weighted member l8 and the operating member 25 of the valve structure momentarily retards the dropping of the weighted member I8 and such coaction occurs and is completed before the weighted member it has dropped sufficiently to impose pull upon the arm 9. While the elapsing time between the opening of the valve structure andthe continuing downward travel of the Weighted member 18 is comparatively short, yet there is a sufiicient elapse of time to permit the water jets discharged from the nozzle to give Warning to a person outside of the room or chamber R approaching the door opening A that the closure member C is about to fall. The particular advantage of employing a water or liquid jet as a warning medium is due to the fact that upon an unexpected discharge of water upon a person the natural tendency of the person is to jump backward. The warning signal as herein comprised is one which will cause a person to move instantly away from the door opening. The warning signal as herein comprised is also of especial importance and advantage should the person approaching the door opening be deaf and which person, of course, could not hear an audible signal. A further advantage of a water or liquid signal resides in the fact that when the signal operates there will not be a resultant stampede as in a bank or other public place which might result upon the operating of a loud signal. An additional advantage resides in the fact that no one other than the person upon whom the water or liquid is discharged will be aware of the closing of the opening Af The operating circuit 21 for the magnet 21 has interposed therein the normally spaced contact members 28 and 29, the contact member 29 being movable. This contact member 29 is normally maintained in a raised or open position by a latch 30. This latch 36 is of a type to be held in effective position under the influence of a suitable weight but readily moves into released position upon removal of such weight. A detailed description of this mechanism is believed to be unnecessary as the same is fully disclosed in my pending application Serial No. 214,165 filed June 16, 1938 of which the present application is partly in continuation.

Upon removal of the weighted member, such as an article being pilfered by an unauthorized person, the latch 30 will release the contact member 29 which will then move into engagement with the contact member 28 closing the circuit 21 for the magnet 2|. This will result in the release of the latch 20 from the weighted member l8 to permit such weighted member [8 to drop, as hereinbefore set forth, resulting in the discharge of the water or other liquid jets from the nozzle 22.

From the foregoing description it is thought to be obvious that a warning signal constructed in accordance with my invention is particularly well adapted for use by reason of the convenience and facility with which it may be assembled and operated, and it will also be obvious that my invention is susceptible of some change and modification without departing from the principles and spirit thereof and for this reason I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the precise arrangement and formation of the several parts herein shown in carrying out my invention in practice except as hereinafter claimed.

I claim:

1. In combination with a wall having an opening, a movable closure member for the opening, releasable means for normally holding the closure member in open position, a weighted member, releasable means for holding said weighted member raised, a nozzle supported in a position to direct a stream of water in a direction toward the approach side of the opening, a pipe line in communication with said nozzle and leading from a source of liquid supply, a normally closed valve structure interposed in said pipe line, said valve structure having a part extending within the path of downward travel of theweighted member when said valve structure is closed, and means for releasing the weighted member from its raised position previous to the release of the holding means for the closure member, said weighted member in its downward movement contacting the part of the valve structure inthe path of such downward movement of the weighted member to open said valve structure to permit discharge of liquid from the nozzle said weighted member in its downward movement also releasing the holding means for the closure member. i

2. In combination with a wall having an opening, a movable closure member for the opening, releasable means for normally holding the closure member in open position, a weighted member, releasable means for holding said weighted member raised, a nozzle supported in a position to direct a stream of water in. a direction toward the approach side of the opening, a pipe line in communication with said nozzle and leading from a source of liquid supply, a normally closed valve structure interposed in said pipe line, said valve structure having a part extend ing within the path of downward travel of the weighted member when said valve structure is closed, and means for releasing the weighted member from its raisedvposition previous to the release of the holding means for the closure member, said weighted member in its downward movement contacting the part of the valve structure in the path of such downward movement of the weighted member to open said valve structure to permit discharge of liquid from the nozzle, said weighted member being comprised in the means'for releasing the holding means for the closure member, the part of the valve structure extending within the downward path of the weighted member when the valve structure is closed providing means to momentarily interrupt the downward movement of the weighted member.

NELSON F. ANDERSON. 

